Blazing Fear Read online

  Blazing Fear

  Leisl Leighton

  romance.com.au/escapepublishing/

  Blazing Fear

  Leisl Leighton

  Fire stole his past—now it is threatening to burn everything, and everyone, he loves. All over again …

  Flynn Findlay likes everyone to think he’s in control, but the death of his wife during the bushfires six years ago changed everything. Now, even though it feels like a betrayal, Flynn can’t seem to escape his growing feelings for the beautiful new doctor in town. He’s never felt as truly alive as when he is with Prita—even his fear of fire doesn’t seem as bad.

  Dr Prita Brennan is ready for a fresh start in Wilson’s Bend with her adoptive son, far from her overprotective family. It would be perfect, except some of the locals don’t like the changes she’s making to the practice. One of them is even making harassing calls. The handsome local horse stud owner, Flynn, is a further complication she doesn’t need right now.

  But when harassment escalates to arson, to save the horse stud and their children, Flynn and Prita must work together to figure out who is after her—and why they are trying to burn to the ground everything she touches.

  About the author

  LEISL is a tall red head with an overly large imagination. As a child, she identified strongly with Anne of Green Gables. A voracious reader and a born performer, it came as no surprise to anyone when she did a double major in English Literature and Drama for her BA, then went on to a career as an actor, singer and dancer, as well as script writer, stage manager and musical director for cabaret and theatre restaurants (one of which she co-owned and ran for six years).

  After starting a family, Leisl stopped performing and instead, began writing the stories that plagued her dreams. Leisl’s novel, Moon Bound, was a finalist in the 2019 RUBY Award. She was also a finalist in the ARRA awards 2014, a favourite author nominee in the AusRom Today awards, and has won and placed in many other competitions in Australia and the US, including the STALI, Golden Opportunities, Heart of the West, Linda Howard Award of Excellence and Touch of Magic.

  Leisl lives in the leafy suburbs of Melbourne with her two beautiful boys, lovely hubby, overly spunky dogs, Buffy and Skye, and likes to spend time with family and friends. She is addicted to the Syfy channel, and her shelves are full of fantasy and paranormal books and scifi DVDs. She sometimes sings in a choir, has worked as a swim teacher, loves to ski, can talk the hind leg off a donkey and has been President of Romance Writers of Australia from 2014–2017.

  If you’d like to know more about Leisl, her books, or to connect with her online, you can visit the author’s webpage www.leislleighton.com, follow her on twitter @LeislLeighton, or like her Facebook page

  Acknowledgements

  I am forever grateful to my husband, Mark, and my two boys, Jacob and Nathaniel, for supporting me in the craziness of writing for a career. Especially their big thumbs up for the leap I made this year in giving up the day job and doing this full time. I love you all.

  Thanks to my family—especially my parents, Kerril and Jim, who always back me no matter what I want to do and have always helped me to reach for my dreams and pick up the slack when I can’t do everything. I wouldn’t be able to do this without them.

  Thanks to my writing friends—Liz, Laura, Chris, Marnie, Frana and Anita. I couldn’t have gotten here without you—but especially Marnie and Anita. Our writing weekend made all the difference. I would never have finished this novel by deadline, especially given what was going on in my personal life, without you. The focus, the workshopping and the friendship is essential. Max Permien would never be a character without you. Also, a big shout-out to all my friends in Romance Writers of Australia—you are inspiration and mentor rolled into a big ball of supportive writerly love. Thank you.

  As always, huge thanks go to my agent, Alex Adsett. Your faith in my work, your encouragement, thoughts and advice are always needed and essential in this journey. Thanks also have to go to Kate Cuthbert. Even though you are no longer at Escape, you are still an essential part of this series’ existence—thank you. Thanks need to go to the team at Escape who keep making this possible, especially my editors Rachael Donovan and Brooke Halliwell, Adam Van Rooijen in marketing and Johanna Baker who takes care of everything else: you all rock!

  I’d like to give a big shout-out to Richard Vincent for your intimate and essential advice on country GP practices—your help made Prita’s little practice feel real. Thank you also to Peter Keating for giving me an insider’s view on the workings of the CFA and the special people who volunteer to make living in the bush safer in the hot-dry seasons. Thanks once again to Daniel de Lorne and his hubby, Doctor Glen Lo, for their help and advice on the medical side of things. I really appreciate it—you’re the best!

  The CoalCliff Stud series wouldn’t have made it into reality if not for the Reid family and their Seamist Palamino Stud near Anglesea where I spent many wonderful holidays in my teens being a part of something special. And to Shelley and Paul at Buckle-Up Bushrides in Merrijig, who put on an amazing four-day ride and answered many questions and made me remember just how special riding through the bush can be.

  Finally, my darling Helen Mardi Petrou. I miss you. Even though you were gone by the time I started this book, you are always in my thoughts and parts of this book are most definitely you. Love you. Tomato hoppy frog.

  To my hubby—because I love you

  Contents

  About the Author

  Acknowledgements

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Bestselling Titles by Escape Publishing …

  Chapter 1

  Doctor Prita Brennan put the pot plant in the corner—there was nothing like bringing a bit of greenery from outside to brighten a waiting area—and stood back, hands on her hips, head cocked. ‘What do you think?’

  ‘I like it there as much as I liked it in the ten other places you’ve tried,’ Cherry Hopkins said. ‘Now stop fussing and let’s get out to help with the party.’

  Prita turned to regard the over-qualified practice nurse, who she prayed every day wouldn’t suddenly realise her mistake and leave her. ‘I want everything to be perfect for tomorrow.’

  The older woman, her name-sake hair glinting in the light coming through the front windows of the new Wilson’s Bend GP practice, put her hands on Prita’s shoulders and looked her firmly in the eye. ‘It’s going to be amazing. We already have nearly a full appointment schedule over the next few days, and the women’s health talk hour on Fridays are booked out for the next month.’

  ‘Something could still go wrong.’

  Cherry shook her head. ‘I never thought you’d be a worry wart, Doctor Prita.’

  Prita couldn’t help but laugh. ‘I’m not. I wonder what’s got into me?’

  ‘A dose of nerves is what. Which is surprising given where you’ve been and what you’ve done. Completely unnecessary though, because it’s going to be great.’

&nbs
p; ‘How do you know? There’s been so much push back.’

  ‘By the old doc and a couple of his dinosaur mates.’ Cherry snorted. ‘Take no notice of those misogynists. The only wisdom you need to listen to is that of James Earl Jones.’ Prita’s lips twitched, knowing what was coming as Cherry cleared her throat and quoted the line from her favourite movie in a faux-deep voice. ‘If you build it, they will come.’

  ‘I don’t think he was talking about a new GP clinic in Wilson’s Bend.’

  ‘Doesn’t matter. It stands.’ Cherry waved her hand around at the waiting room.

  ‘I suppose it does.’ It had all happened so fast. She’d only bought the property six weeks ago. The seller was happy to settle quickly and so she’d been able to take ownership mid-January and since then, it had been full steam ahead, Barb and her CoalCliff workforce and some of her new neighbours in Wilson’s Bend digging in to get everything ready so she could open tomorrow.

  Cherry slung her arm around Prita’s shoulders as they looked at the product of their hard work. ‘It’s going to be a success. Just wait and see. You, Doctor Prita, are exactly what we’ve needed around here. You enlivened Doc Simpson’s clinic when you took over running it when he was recovering from his bypass. Silly old coot didn’t know what he had until it was gone. Now he has to suffer the consequences.’

  Prita supposed she was right. The man should retire—he really wasn’t doing himself any favours by hanging on to what had been. But you couldn’t tell him that. She’d tried. Well, she’d shouted it at him and said some things she shouldn’t—stupid rash temper bursting out just when she thought she’d managed to become good at pretending to be serious and controlled. She never lost her cool when she was in doctor mode, but in her personal life, she wasn’t nearly so collected. Or organised. Or able to keep her thoughts in her head. But the man had riled her up so much. She sighed. She’d burned that bridge well and good and made some enemies in the doing. She knew there’d be backlash, but she hadn’t known it would be so severe.

  If she’d been doing this for herself, she might have given up. But she wasn’t. She was here for Carter. Which was why she was so nervous now. She needed this to succeed because, if it didn’t, she wasn’t certain what to do next. She’d moved here to give him security, a calm, ordered life, and typical her, she’d managed to upset the calm orderliness by telling an old doctor that he was a stupid fossil stuck in his ways. Way to win friends and influence people, Prita.

  ‘What’s the way to win friends and influence people?’ Cherry asked.

  Prita blinked. ‘Nothing.’ There she went again, speaking a private thought out loud. You’d think being a sensible country doctor and adoptive mother would have cured her of that little issue, but apparently not. Sighing, she shook her head and forced a smile. ‘You’re right, the plant looks good there. Everything’s perfect. It’s going to be fine.’

  Cherry patted her on the shoulder. ‘Good girl. Now, let’s get out to that party. By the sounds of things, Barb and her CoalCliff mob have finished the set up and are about to kick it off.’

  Cherry was right. Loud chatter wafted up the hall from outside and music was playing. ‘Okay. Let’s go.’

  She patted down her simple flowing top with the spaghetti straps and put her mobile phone in the pocket of her shorts then stepped out into the hallway just behind Cherry.

  A ginger, white and tabby blur jumped out of the corner near the front door and raced between Cherry’s legs, making her stumble and swear as it made a meowing sound that almost could have been a laugh, and took off down the hall.

  ‘That bloody cat,’ Cherry said, shaking her fist at it. ‘I swear it lies in wait to do that to me every time I walk out here.’

  ‘He’s playing with you,’ Prita said, laughing even though she knew she shouldn’t.

  ‘If Carter didn’t love the mangy thing so much, I’d—’ She made a wringing motion with her hands.

  Prita shook her head, voice shaking with laughter as she said, ‘You’d do no such thing, you big softy. I saw you feed Machiavelli that leftover chicken the other day.’

  ‘He wouldn’t stop staring at me,’ Cherry grumbled, her hand over her heart. ‘Bloody thing just gave me the fright of my life.’

  ‘Well, let’s go get you a drink to calm you down.’

  They’d taken two steps when the phone in the office rang. Prita turned to get it.

  ‘Let it go to message.’

  ‘It could be a patient.’

  ‘Then let me get it.’

  Prita shook her head. ‘No, you go out to the party. If it’s anything urgent, I’ll call you.’

  ‘Okay.’

  Prita ran back over to the desk before the call could be picked up by the answering machine. ‘Hello. Wilson’s Bend Health Matters. Doctor Prita Brennan speaking.’

  There was silence on the other end of the phone. No, not silence. She heard breathing. Heavy breathing. As if someone was in pain?

  ‘Hello? Are you there? Is this an emergency?’ She grabbed a pen and paper from the desk, ready to write down an address. If someone had hurt themselves, she’d need to move quickly.

  ‘Bitch.’

  Her hand clenched on the phone as she blinked in surprise. ‘I beg your pardon?’

  ‘Who do you think you are, taking everything that’s mine?’

  She couldn’t help the shiver that ran down her spine, the little spike of adrenaline that sped up her heart, not just at the words, but the venomous spit of them. As always happened when she was met with something unexpected, whether a confrontation with a patient in the ER, or standing up against men with guns when working in Sierra Leone, the adrenaline pushed her into flight, not fight mode. ‘Listen, you misogynistic bastard, I’m not taking anything that’s yours. If it was yours, I couldn’t take it, so stop harassing me and piss off.’ She slammed down the phone and stared at it. She felt as steady as a rock, even as her heart hammered in her chest and her body vibrated with the need to do something. This was the third call in the last few days since they’d had the phone connected, and she was getting thoroughly sick of it. Doc Simpson and Bob Thompson and their pack of dinosaurs couldn’t get away with this. She needed to call the police. She reached for the phone again to report the harassment.

  ‘Mummy?’

  She swung around at the plaintive sound. Carter stood in the doorway. Oh god, had he heard what she’d said? He was such a worrier—not surprising given what he’d been through in his young life. He didn’t look too worried, so maybe he hadn’t heard any of it. She put on a bright smile and walked over to him. She could call the police later. ‘What is it, buddy?’

  ‘Barb sent me to get you. She says it’s time for you to play. What are you going to play, Mummy?’

  She laughed gently. ‘She didn’t mean that kind of play. She just meant it was time to come out to the party.’ She held her arm out to him. ‘Will you escort me, kind sir?’

  He looked askance at her, sandy blonde fringe falling back from his high forehead, his one blue eye and one brown eye sparkling in the sun shining through the window. ‘Are you pretending to be in one of your books again, Mummy?’

  ‘Maybe. Do you mind?’

  In answer, he grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hall. ‘Let’s go.’

  She halted at the top of the back verandah steps to take in the scene before her. Carter, spying his friends in the garden below, whooped and let go of her hand to jump down the stairs and race over to join them. She watched him go with a smile on her face and then let her gaze rove around the party that already seemed to be in full swing.

  As always, she was astonished at how quickly and efficiently Barb and the CoalCliff mob could put together a party. Or a crew to renovate a beautiful old Federation house and turn it into not only a place for her and Carter to live, but into the base for her new practice as well. They were truly astonishing. And generous. She wasn’t quite sure why they did these things for her, but she did appreciate it.

&n
bsp; ‘What do you think?’ Barb asked, coming up beside her, two huge bowls of salad perched on her hips, the rainbow colours in her hair glinting in the late afternoon sun, her sun-browned face creased with the lines of a life that had been mostly full of laughter, love and smiles. Prita had been amazed to discover the woman was a grandmother of a thirty-year-old when she’d first moved here. But she supposed when you started your family at eighteen, and then your eldest daughter had their child at eighteen, being a young grandma was part of the gig.

  ‘It’s amazing. Thank you.’ She reached for one of the huge bowls. ‘Here, let me help you with one of those.’

  Barb shifted away. ‘No help necessary. You go and get yourself a drink and circulate. You’re the guest of honour and need to go chat with your guests.’

  ‘But I should do something to help.’

  ‘You are helping. You’ve kept Flynn occupied this last month.’ Her gaze turned to her youngest son who was setting up chairs in the backyard. ‘This time of year is so hard for him.’

  Prita frowned as her gaze went straight to Flynn as he lifted and placed chairs on the grass. Her mouth dried as she watched the muscles in his arms flex. He was so damned sexy. Even the scattering of freckles on his sun-kissed skin was sexy. Forcing her gaze back to Barb, she tried to ignore the heated prickle that pressed under her skin every time she clapped eyes on Flynn. ‘This is the time of year he lost his wife, isn’t it?’

  ‘Yes.’ Barb sighed, then smiled softly. ‘Keeping busy helps more than you can imagine, so it’s you I have to thank for helping me do that.’

  Prita was about to ask her what she meant by that when Barb suddenly yelled out, ‘No, not there,’ and hurtled down the back steps, putting the bowls of salad on the tables that were set up at the base of the back verandah before racing towards Ben who’d just arrived with more tubs from CoalCliff full of cups and plates and cutlery.